April 2012

04/30/2012

Recently drafted Buffalo Bills linebacker Tank Carder told 105.3 FM The Fan that his former teammate, Tanner Brock, is transferring to UTEP. The TCU linebacker was selected in the fifth round of the NFL draft.

UTEP has not confirmed this. A UTEP spokesperson said, "Nothing official at this point".

Tanner Brock was kicked off the Horned Frogs' football team when he and three teammates were arrested for distribution of illegal drugs in February.

Brock was TCU's leading tackler in 2010, but injured his ankle in 2011 and missed most of the season.

Moving to El Paso for Brock makes sense. His younger brother, Cooper, is a defensive lineman for the Miners.

According to NCAA transfer rules, Tanner Brock would have to sit out one season. He would have one year of eligbility remaining.

Visually, the documentary leans on photographs from Owens' youth at Ohio State, his performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and what film footage that exist. It is remarkable to watch him blow away his all-white competitors, or lose to Temple runner Eulace Peacock.

Where American Experience usually defeats its competitors are the interviews. The commentary from journalists such as Jeremy Schaap or William C. Rhoden are interesting, but the memories from people who knew, or watched, Owens is amazing.

Any time former U.S. runner, and decorated WWII survivor, Louis Zamperini does an interview it's worth watching.

Owens' story against Hitler and Nazi Germany has been told only about eight million times. This documentary seperates itself with a handful of interviews of aging Germans. The Germans who remember being flooded with the Aryan master race propaganda, German historians, and Germans who witnessed Owens' in Berlin and what he meant to them.

What is often overlooked in Owens' story is that there were a number of other blacks on that U.S. Olympic team. The footage of the U.S. squad traveling via boat across the Atlantic shows a team that was more integrated than the country it represented.

When the respective Olympic teams arrived in Berlin they arrived to a city that was also putting on a show. By 1936, Nazi Germany was oppressed, paranoid, and anti Semitic. Most of those realities were swept under the rug for its visitors.

(BTW - Did you know the Nazis invented the concept of a torch bearer going from ancient Olympia to start the games by lighting a flame in the stadium?)

In front of irritated Nazi leadership, Owens became a star in Berlin to the German people. Hitler refused to shake his hand. Joseph Goebbels said white race should be ashamed of watching a black Owens win three gold medals.

The documentary focuses more on the '36 games than any other time in his life.

The tragic part of this story is that despite his talent, intellect, fame, awareness of his society and responsibilities to his race, he was still a black man living in a country that treated them like garbage.

The 20 years of his life between the '36 games and 1955, which included racing horses, is sad. Only until his latter years was he able to truly cash in and take advantage of what should have been made available to him for decades. He died in 1980 at the age of 66.

In terms of the evolution of race in sports, or in American society in the 1900s, there may not be a greater figure than Jesse Owens.

But this division history says be careful before writing this team off.

In 2001, the Rangers spent heavily on adding Alex Rodriguez, Ken Caminiti, Andres Galarraga to an already pricey bunch (Raffy Palmeiro, Pudge) for a team that wound up in last place by only 43 games.

On April 30, 2001 the Seattle Mariners were 20-5. The Texas Rangers were 11-14, second in the AL West, and nine games back of first place. It was in May when this team completely tanked.

Here is the part that all of Texas Rangers' nation needs to be aware of: In last place on this day in 2001 in the AL West were the Oakland Athletics at 8-17, 12 games out. The A's won 102 games that season to capture the wild card. That stacked "Money Ball" team gagged against the Yankees in the ALDS.

Bank on the Angels getting their stuff together, and Pujols going on some tear that boosts his numbers closer to his career average. The question will be is whether it is too late.

BTW - The Angels visit the Rangers for the first time on May 11 for a three-game, weekend series.

Every umpire has his breaking point. Most umpires, according to Josh, are going to eject you if you cross their un-written line. Some have a higher tolerance than others.

Major league umpires can be a funny bunch, not to mention a bit thin-skinned. The reason you don't see close plays replayed at your local ballpark? Major league umpires have it in their contract that no close replays will be shown that could potentially incite the masses. Funny, that's not a problem for NFL referees.

Here is the real truth about grading the Dallas Cowboys' 2012 draft class: We don't have a clue. Grading an incoming draft class is almost as accurate as those college football recruiting rankings. They are very fun to read, but should be taken with a grain of a salt truck.

Because no one can really know:

a. How a player is going to react to being on his own as a young adult.b. If he cares any more about playing a game he has played probably since he was five.c. If he has already reached his ceiling.d. How the NFL lifestyle is going to affect him.e. If he is done growing.f. How he is going to react to being punched in the mouth for the first time by a 33-year-old trying to protect his six-figure salary.g. What he is going to do when his coodinator or position coach who likes another guy instead, and playing time is altered because of it.h. What is going to happen when he is the focus of adulation, or the wrath of fans and media.

These and so many other variables are going to affect Morris Claiborne, Kyle Wilber, Matt Johnson and the rest of the 2012 Dallas Cowboys' draft class that if anyone at Valley Ranch could accurately predict their future performance he is wasting his time in the NFL. Go straight to Wall Street, or Vegas.

Considering what the Dallas Cowboys gave up to acquire him, Mo Claiborne must be a star. As for the rest? Three of these guys need to be solid replacements, and eventually comprise the "guts" of the team for this to be called a "good' draft.

Love Claiborne's talent, don't love what it took to acquire him. The Cowboys were not one player away last year to give away another potentially high caliber player in the second round. Boise State defensive end Tyrone Crawford is going to need to get bigger.

And the rest? Matt Johnson is going to have every single opportunity to prove he can play.

04/28/2012

The young team that was so young this time one year ago obviously no longer needs pullups at night time. The team that was so unable to close in the Western Conference Finals in 2011 did so when their best player overcame a bad shooting night to make the one that mattered.

OKC Thunder 99 Mavericks 98Thunder lead the series 1-0

The Mavs were better nearly the entire game, and blew it. Turnovers late killed them.

This is not 2011.

The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks NBA professional basketball team followed the same script used in 2011, and leaned on Dirk Nowitzki in the fourth quarter to take the lead late. Dirk scored 11 of the Mavs' final 13 points, including a pair of FTs with nine seconds remaining for a one-point lead.

Despite Shawn Marion hounding Kevin Durant and guarding him as well as a man can, KD managed to score from the foul-line with an off-balance, heaven-kissed bounce-in for the game's final points with less than two seconds remaining. Great shooter usually gets the shooter's bounce.

"He made a great shot. The only other thing we could have done was double team him, get the ball out of his hands, and we should have done that. That's on me," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the media after the game. "We had a seven point lead with 2:20 to go. We have to close that out. There are some mistakes we have to avoid."

Durant made just 10-of-27 shots, but who cares? When the shot had to be made, he did it.

The Mavs made 10-of-22 from 3-point range. They out-rebounded the Thunder, 42-36. The Mavs had 11 steals. Dirk was dominant in the fourth quarter.

I had heard about the burgers here for forever and finally sampled the Guacomole Burger that includes grilled jalapenos, sliced tomato, roasted jalapeno mayo, and lots of guac'.

This may be the greatest hamburger sans cheese that has ever been created. I love this hamburger. I want to have this hamburger's babies. The bun is sweet, almost like the buns used at Dutch's Burger in Fort Worth. The jalapenos are fresh, and this particular batch provided a nice, but subtle punch. Nothing too overpowering.

I also sampled the brisket tacos, which were also a solid score. The brisket was tender, and fell apart on contact. Not dry at all.

Do not go expecting the world's greatest decor. It is fairly no-frills. The service, however, was good. I have heard this place can get full quick, and the small dining room doesn't provide for ample seating opportunities. There is an outdoor seating area.

My only disappointment is that I failed to try every single thing on the menu. That's on me. I gotta be better.

If you don't recall, the Mavs defeated the Thunder in the West Finals last spring. The teams are just a bit different this year. The Thunder won the season series, 3-1.

12/29/11 OKC, 104-102 in OKC Here is the ending of that fun game:

1/2/12 Mavs, 100-87 in Dal

2/1/12 OKC, 95-86 in Dal

3/5/12 OKC, 95-92 in OKC

The Mavs have a chance if:

a.) They can rebound with the Thunder. In the four game series, the Thunder out-rebounded the Mavs, 44.8 to 39.8. This stat has to be at least even for the Mavs.

b.) Durant is going to get his, but Thunder guard Russell Westbrook must shoot a lot, and miss. This worked in last year's playoffs as Westbrook was a black hole. Westbrook averaged 22.8 points on 39% percent shooting against the Mavs this season.

c.) Dirk is the best player in the fourth quarter. Dirk's biggest transformation last spring was his ability to become the best player in the fourth quarter of every playoff game. If he is driving and attacking the rim, the Mavs have a shot. If he is settling for off-balanced jumpers over 6-foot-3 defenders, no way.

d.) Prayer. Who knows? Can't hurt, right?

PREDICTION: This happens with all good young teams as they grow: They go "through" some veteran team en route to the top. The Thunder have been through the playoffs now, got their teeth kicked in, and are mature enough to defeat a Mavericks team that just is not the same as one year ago.

The Mavs are older, tired, and clearly are fighting a case of "Been there, done thats". These guys know the score. Last year's team had energy whereas this team appears to be fighting itself to be interested.